2:11
Paul continued to give instructions to women in general in 2:11–12. In these verses he told Timothy the way that women should behave when believers met together.
A woman: That is, every woman, all women. In some languages it will be better to use a plural here.
must learn: Paul was saying that people must learn about God. This normally happened when believers met together so that someone could teach them from Scripture. (Some people interpret this to mean that Paul is commanding that women learn, and is implying that they would be able to teach men after they have learned. They say that the real problem is that women in Ephesus had not learned before they taught. However, this overlooks the fact that Paul is not emphasizing that women learn, but that they learn quietly and submissively. Also, Paul expressly forbids women from teaching men in verse 12. For a more detailed rebuttal, see Schreiner in Women in the Church, pages 121–123.)
in quietness: Paul did not mean that women should be totally silent in church. This is clear from 1 Corinthians 11:5, where Paul referred to women praying and prophesying during public worship. Paul probably meant that women were to listen quietly when someone was teaching the believers. They were not to chatter and interrupt the person who was teaching God’s message.
and full submissiveness: Paul meant that women were not to argue publicly with those who taught the believers. They were to be respectful and submit to their authority.
full: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as full is literally “all.” Paul meant that women were to be completely respectful to those who taught the believers.
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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.